The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has said that patients are suffering as a result of the current work stoppages being undertaken by the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association.

A 29-year-old rape victim, whose case led to the resignation of the Progressive Democrats TD Bobby Molloy, has settled her legal action against a hospital in Galway for failing to protect her from her father.

Teenagers as young as 14 are using cannabis every day, according to a study by Queen’s University Belfast. The researchers found about one in 10 cannabis-smoking teenagers they surveyed were using the drug daily.

Nurses are due to mount another one-hour work stoppage at selected health facilities nationwide today as part of their ongoing campaign for better pay and conditions. Today’s action will affect hospitals in Dublin, Ennis and Portlaoise and mental health services in Laois, Offaly and Clare between 11am and 12 noon.

Victims of disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary will meet Minister for Health Mary Harney today to discuss a multi-million euro compensation scheme. Up to 250 women had their wombs or ovaries unnecessarily removed by Neary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda up to 1998.

Thousands of nurses and midwives are to stage one-hour work stoppages outside six medical facilities today. Escalating their campaign for better pay and working hours, hospitals and psychiatric services in Sligo, Louth and Cork will be hit with the industrial action.

Fears that Cashel’s Social Welfare Office might close have prompted staff at the office to launch a petition on Main Street in the coming weeks. The news comes in the wake of Cashel Hospital’s closure earlier this year and has sparked widespread popular opposition, says Ellen Allison, who works in the Office.

Nurses have announced details of further work stoppages for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Hospitals and mental health services in Sligo, Louth, Cork, Dublin, Laois, Offaly and Clare are being targeted.

Health should be the top priority for the new Ulster Assembly, a survey has revealed. According to the YouGov poll which questioned more than 2,000 people across the UK, health was voted the top spending priority for the next Executive, ahead of law and order, education, defence and the environment.

MPs probing human rights abuses should examine the unnecessary detention of over 100 people with learning disabilities in a Northern Ireland hospital, the DUP claimed today.